Combination drying and moistening machine.



T. M. ooYLE. COMBINATION DRYING AND MOISTENING MACHINE.

l APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1911. 1 01 5,786.

6sHBnTs-sHBET 1.

nl w W if. @Q j@ f (Ng @H Patented @11.30, 1912.

Wfne ages fm/enl'or T. M. GGYLE. COMBINATION DNYING ANDMOISTBNING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAYZS, 1911.

1,015,786, Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

)nesses Y [Iwenor MM@ Jr. M. ooYLB. COMBINATION DRYING AND MOISTENING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION FILED MAY 23,*1911.. v l 1,01 5,786. A Patented Jan. 30', 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. M. OOYLE.

COMBINATION DRYING- AND MOISTENING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY z3, 1911.

1,015,786. Patented Jan. 3o, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

lUNTTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

.THOMAS COYLE, OF ST LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION DRYIN/G AND MOISTENING- MACHINE.

Bpeoioation ot Letters Patent.

Application medley 28, 1911. Serial No. 629,077.

Patented J an. 30, 1912.

ing. of spaghetti and like articles and has.

for its object a housing in lwhich is mounted a pair of traveling conveyers one operating at a greater speed than the other, and a means for conveying the articles from one conveyer to the other so as to continue the` travel of the articles in an endless circuit.

'A further object of my invention is toI rovide a means for conveying heated airmtothe housing so as to contact with the` articles, and a steam bath by which the articles are moistened, which is necessary for the process of treating such edlble articles as have been specified.

A further object lof my inventionisto construct a machine having a pair of endless conveyers on which articles may be placed for drying or moistening the same and can be used for moistening and drying laundry or other articles as well as the treating of v edible articles for which the machine has been especially constructed.

Figure 1 is a,side view of'my invention.

A Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig.

. be of any length. Fig. 5 an endy view of' i the machine showing the operative mecha- 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the heat distributing mechanism used in connection with my improved machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine showing the operating mechanism,the saidmachine being broken away designating that the same may nism.v Fig.'6 is a detail view` of one of the delivering arms and its support made use of in connection with my invention. Fi 7 is a vertical sectionalview of the same ta en on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the stops made use of in connection with the upper conveyer. Fig. 9 a detail perspective view of a portion of the guide frame showing the releasing and feedin att-achmentlocated on the front end of t e machine. Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view lof. one of the links frame.

spective view of the latch made. use of in connection with'rthe feeding end of the guide Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a dog located in the front guide frame and is used for supporting the rods on which the articles are placed when feeding the same into the machine. Fig. 14 is a sectional View 'of av pipe made use of for supplying steam front end view of the housing showing" the doors through which the articles are fed and discharged.

-In carrying out my invention I provide a suitable housing 16 whichis constructedl of any desirable length, but in reality when the machine is constructed for treating spaghetti the same is of a' length approximately eighty-five feet. In this housing is located the operating mechanism, which will be fully hereinafter described in detail.

In one end of the housing is located a fan or blower 17 itsdischarge end connected to a pipe 18, which leads into the side of the housing and connects to the heat distributing box 19. In front of the fan or blower 17 is located a heater 2O to which is connected an air pipe 21, its opposite end connected to a filter 22 through which the air from the atmosphere is purified before being admitted into the heater, and the said heatedpuried air is admitted into the blower through the pipe connection 23. To the opposite end of the housing andpreferably at the top is located an exhaust pipe 24, through which the heated air after having been dlst-ributed in -or moist-ure into the housing. Fig. l5 is the the housino` is conveyed to the atmosphere by i means of the pipe 25, if so desired or is continued on back to the ipe 21, or to a pipe 26 back to the blower. I it is desired to merely circulate the same heat medium distributed into the housing the circuit of the air is regulated by means of the dampers 27 located in the several pipes. On the opposite `end of the filter 22. is attached a pipe 28 which connects to the pipe 23 and by means of the pipe cold air may be delivered into vthe machine if so desired and the dampers in the several pipes are so regulated as to complete the roper circuit without interference. The ot air distributing box 19 is of my invention,

located in the housing in proper relation with the operating mechanism (see Fig. 5)', and the top of the box is suitably perforated so as to distribute the air equally throughout the entire housing.

In the bottom .of the pipes29, the same so as to permit jets of steam to b e delivered intov the housing when it is desired to moisten the articles during. their travelfon the operating mechanism.' These features for drying and moistening are very essential in the treatment of spaghetti las the spaghetti after having been cut in the proper lengths is suspended on rods for drying and after the same becomes v ried to a certain degree the Strands warp into all sorts of shapes. When this occurs it is necessary to moisten the same in order to bring the spaghetti back to its original straight housing are located shape; the same is again passed through the drying process and again moistened or steamed and this roceduie .is continued until the spaghetti is thoroughly dried and retained' in its original'straight position. During this procedure when the same is being dried thev heated air is. admitted and when it is desired to steam or moisten the spaghetti the heat' is cut oi' and the steam jets placed in action.

I will now describe the operative mechanism which constitutes the essential yfeature and it consists of a suitable rame work 30 around which the housing 16 is placed. 4On the horizontal members 31 and 3210i the yframe work are sup-y ported sprocket wheels 33 and 34, these wheels being supported on short shafts and mounted in suitable 4journal bearings. The

inner end of the short shaft on which thesprocket wheel 33 is. mounted is provided with a disk 35 provided on its periphery with suitable recesses 36 in which is adapted to be carried the rods 37 on articles are suspended.' Each side of the machine is identical inconstruction and the 'y -disks as just described are so arranged as to properly contact withA each end of the rods 37 so 'as to carry the rods together with their contents and lodge the same evenly on Over the sprocket wheels 33 and 34 is placed an'endless conveyer 39 consisting of a plurality vor' united links 40 having roller guides 41 which ride in and each of the links is provided with a 'face block 43 on which therods A37 are delivered and carried. .I

On the short shaft .Supporting the sprocket wheel 34 is located a large sprocket wheel 44, its teeth .meshing with the sprocket c hain v45 Vwhich passes over a sprocket inion 46 having bearing in the take up oxes 47 -by which the `sprocket chain 45 is properly adjusted. The chain'is being suitably perforated,

shaft 52 and pulley of the frame work,

which thev the angle bars or guides 42,

mounted upon the shaft 49 which extends across the entire machine from side frame to side frame (see Fig- 5) ,and on said shaft is also located a gear wheel 50 meshing with a gear pinion 51 by which the mechanism is driven through the medium of its 53. The chains 45 one of which is located on each side of the machine are passed upwardly and over sprocket wheels 54 by which the upper conveyers are placed in operation; The

sprocket wheels 54 are supported on short shafts 55 mounted in ported on the upper take up boxes 56 suphorizontal members 57 and on the inner ends of the shafts 55 are located sprocket wheels 58 over which the upper conveyer 59 operates, this conveyer being similar in construction to the' lower conveyer previously described. On the opposite end of the frame work are located short shafts 60 supported in bearings located on the upper horizontal members 61 these shafts are sprocket wheels 62 si'milar to the sprocket Wheels 58l and over which theendless conveyer is ends of the shafts 55 and 60 are with gear wheels 63 which'mesh with intermediate gears 64, they in turn meshing with of the frame and on guided. The outer I provided gears 65 mounted on short shafts 66 Suported in bearings located on the members 67 ofthe frame. On the inner end of` these shafts are supported arm plates 68 and in the projecting ends 69 of the platesl are adjustably supported the delivery arms 70.

The free outer ends of the arms lare suitably recessed as'i'ndicated by the numeral 71, and are of such size as to permit the insertion of the rods 37 so that said rods may be conveyed from the lower conveyer to the upper conveyer and likewise on the opposite end of the machine from the upper conveyer to the lower conveyer, and 1n order to permit vthe arms to properly contact with the rods the forward end 72 is somewhat shortened so as to ass over the rods and allow the rear end 3 to contact therewith. While the rods together with the contents are being carried from one conveyer to the other the same is held in position onthe ends of the arms 70 by means of the curved guide frames 38 and 74. I

The rods on which the spaghetti or otherl articles are supported are of. such lengths as to extend across the machine permitting its ends to rest upon the companion conveyers. The machine is so geared asto cause the lower conveyer to operate at a speed l*much slower than the upper conveyer and in practice, as the articles are being transf ferred from one'convey'er to the otherthe" same when carried to apart, while when the same areA again carried from the upper conveyer .to the lower conveyer the rods are spaced approximately four inches apart.

While` the machine is in the position as shown in Fig. 4 the exits orv inlets formed in the guide frame 38 beingclosed, the articles are continuously travelin machine from the upper to t e lower and from the lower to the upper conveyer without molestation.- when it is desired to remove theA rods and their contents the latches 75 are released, or in other words permitted to hang down forming a free passage indicated by the numeral 76 through which the rods 37 may Vpass when conveyed kupwardly by the arms 7 0 and when the passage is reached, the rods will of their own gravity pass down the incline 77 and lodge upon the support 78 from'which the operator removes the same. When feeding the machinethe latches 75 are released and the operator places the rods into the machine y through the passages 76 and lodges the same on the spring actuated dog'79, the said rods remaining upon said dogs until carried awayby the arms 70. The operation of the arms are in the direction as indicated by the arrows inFig. 4, the dog 79 being spring actuatedwill be compressed when contacted `with by the rods during their upward travel and permit the same to pass without hindrance. As4 the rods are being conveyed from the lower conveyer and distributed upon the upper 4conveyers thesamey may at times become out of alinement, one end being slightly in advance of the other, and in order to provide proper alinement on the opposite end se that the arm 70 may simultaneously contact, I provide stops or guides 80 connected tothe inner guide or angle bar 81 and so adjusted as to permit the ends of the rods to contact with the inclined surface -82 and thus hold the rods in stationary position until carried away by the arms 70. A similar regulating device is provided for lining up the'rods on the lower conveyers suspendin and this mechanism is located slightly in advance of the disks 35, the same consisting of springs 83 contacting with the rods, prop erly lining up` the same lbefore they are passedy into the recesses of the disks. The blocks 43 of the links 40 comprising the lower conveyer are provided with projections 84 of suiiicient height to carry the rods past the springs 83 and lodge the rods in the recesses of the disks 35. j

With a machine of this .character an enormous amount of space is saved where-f heretofore in treating and manufacturing spaghetti' thedrying process was the mere ofthe rods on racks in rooms and permltting ythem to han for a period of4 from-four to sixrdays an -whenever the spaghetti became warped by drying it was necessary to convey the same on trucks into around the moistening rooms. Thisxprocedure required according to the conditions existing during` the operation.

I do not desi-re to limit myself to the use I of my machine for treatmentof spaghetti as any article requirin such treatment can be handledby the mac ine.

Having thus'fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to have secured to me by the grant of LettersPatent, is: y

l. A combination drying and moistenin machine comprising an upper conveyer and a lower conveyer on which the articles to be treated are supported, one of said conveyers operating at a speed greater than the 'other 'and means fordriving the same; means for delivering the articles from one conveyer to the other, a housing in which the conveyers are mounted and a heating device and a moistening device for drying and moistening the articles during their travel on the conveyers, substantially as speciied.

2. A device of the class described comprising a suitable frame, anv upper and `a lower conveyer supported in the frame, a revolving mechanism whereby the articles supported on the conveyers are delivered from one conveyer to the other causing the articles to travel in a continuous circuit, means for operating the conveyers, a housing incasing the entire mechanism and drying and moistening means, substantially as specified;

3. A device vof the class described comprisingvafframe, an upper and a lower conveyer supported in the frame, curved guide frames located at the ends of the frame Aand in relative position with the ends of the conveyers, delivery arms revolubly mounted in the frame and by which the articles are conveyed from one conveyer to the other, a :f

heater box located in the frame by which heat is directed against the articles traveling on the conveyer, a moistening device by which moisture is admitted to the interior to contact with the articles anda housing incasing the entire mechanism, substantially as specled. A j

4'. A device ofthe class described comprising a frame, a plurality of conveyers movably mounted in said frame, a plurality of revolving delivery arms positloned in proper relation with the conveyers'and by which the articles carried by the conveyers arefdelivered from the lower conveyer to theupper conveyer and from the upper conveyer to the lower'conveyer, suitable guide i before belng delivered to frames for guiding thearticles during their travel from one conveyer tothe other, means for roperl spacing and lining up the articles efore A eing brought in contact with the delivery arms, and a housing 'covering the entire operating mechanism, substantially as specified'. l.

5. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a plurality of endless ycon- Veyers movably mounted in said frame and on which rods -supporting vthe articles are carried,l means for transferring the rods together with the articles from one conveyer tothe other, suitable guide frames located at the ends of the conveyer for guiding the rods during their travel from one conveyer to the other, means f formed on one set of guide framesfor permitting the feeding or ischarging of the articles, stops provided for the s acingand linin 11p-of the rods t e'delivery arms, and a housing Iincasing the entire mechanism, substantially as specified.

6. A-machine of the class described comprising conveyers one located above the other, the upper conveyer operating at a speed faste'rvthanl the lower conveyer, rods carrying 'the articles to be treated, carried by said conveyers, and means for driving the same, a plurality of rotating delivery arms located in relative position with the conveyers and by which the rods carrying the articles are transferred from one con.- veyer to the other causing the articles to travel on an endless circuit, and a drying and moistening means operated alternately for moistening and drying the articlesl during their travel, substantially as specified.

v7. A machine of the class described comprising a plurality of endless traveling conveyers, guide frames located at the ends of from one conveyer to the other the conveyers for i the conveyers and in proper relation theree with, means located in proper relation with the conveyers for transferring the articles causing the articles to travel in an endless circuit, latches located on the guide frames at the feedin and discharge end of the machine by which the feeding and discharging of the articles is controlled, stops located in proper relation with the-conveyers for spacin and lining up the articles prior to being ed in proper alinement with the delivery arms, and a housing in which the entire mechanism is located, substantially as specied.

8. A machine of the class described comprising a suitable frame, a plurality of endless traveling conveyers supported in the frame, the upper set of conveyers arranged to travel at a greater speed than the lower set and means for driving the same, a driving mechanism for operating the conveyers simultaneously, a means located on each end oftheframe and 'in 'relative position with from one set of vconveyers to the other, guide frames located in relative position with the delivery arms, means for supporting the articles during-their travel from one conveyer to the other, a housing incasingl the mechanism, a heating device and a moistening device located in the frame. for moistening and drying the articles during their travel, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed vmy name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS M. COYLE.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EICKB, WALTER C. STEIN.

transferring the articles 

